Process for concentration of a polypeptide

ABSTRACT

The present invention comprises a method of concentrating a composition comprising a polypeptide of interest and the use of such concentrated composition for the treatment of diseases in mammals, in particular by subcutaneous injection.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/041,841, filed Feb. 11, 2016; which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/295,848, filed Oct. 2, 2008; based on the § 371 National Stage Entry of International Application No. PCT/DK2007/000177; which claims priority to Foreign Applications Nos. PA 2006 00922 and PA 2006 00488, filed in Denmark, on Jul. 5, 2006 and Apr. 4, 2006, respectively; the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for concentrating a polypeptide of interest, to the use of a composition comprising a concentrated polypeptide of interest as a medicament for subcutaneous injection and to a composition comprising at least 10 mg/ml polypeptide of interest.

SEQUENCE LISTING

The instant application contains a Sequence Listing which has been submitted electronically and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The file named “Sequence Listing.txt” was created on May 3, 2017, and is 84,770 bytes in size.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Some polypeptides are useful as a medicament for the prevention and/or treatment of certain diseases. The ability to inject a medicament subcutaneously is an advantage, as it makes it easy for the patients to administer the medication to themselves.

As there are physiological restrains on how large a volume it is possible to inject subcutaneously. Thus it is an advantage for medicaments which are to be administered subcutaneously that they are available in a high concentration so as to ensure that the patient receives an adequate amount of the medicament and/or to avoid multiple subcutaneous injections.

WO 99/37325 discloses methods of treating and preventing disease caused by absence or deficiency of the activity of enzymes belonging to the heme biosynthetic pathway. WO 03/002731 discloses a process for purification of recombinant porphobilinogen deaminase on an industrial scale and to the use of the purified product for the preparation of a medicament. Similarly, WO 02/099092 and WO 2005/094874 provides lysosomal alpha-mannosidase and therapeutic use hereof. Finally, WO 2005/073367 provides a process for purification of arylsulfatase A and use of the enzyme in the treatment of metachromatic leukodystrophy.

The present invention relates to a method for concentrating a polypeptide of interest, and to the use of a composition, comprising a concentrated polypeptide of interest for the manufacture of a medicament for subcutaneous injection into mammal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in one aspect to a method of concentrating a composition comprising a polypeptide of interest comprising:

-   -   a) Centrifugation and/or filtration of a composition comprising         a polypeptide of interest     -   b) Concentrating the supernatant or retentate, respectively,         obtained from step a).

In another aspect, the present invention relates to a composition comprising at least 10 mg/ml polypeptide of interest.

In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to use of a composition comprising 75-250 mg/ml polypeptide of interest for the manufacture of a medicament for subcutaneous injection into a mammal.

In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a method of treating a mammal for Acute Intermittent Porphyria comprising injecting subcutaneously a composition of 500-300 mg/ml PBGD.

In yet another aspect, the present invention relates a method of treating a mammal for metachromatic leukodystrophy comprising subcutaneous injection of a composition of 50-300 mg/ml arylsulfatase A.

In yet another aspect, the present invention relates a method of treating a mammal for the lysosomal storage disorder alpha-mannosidosis comprising subcutaneous injection of a composition of 50-300 mg/ml lysosomal alpha-mannosidase.

In yet another aspect, the present invention relates a method of treating a mammal for Krabbe disease comprising subcutaneous injection of a composition of 50-300 mg/ml galactosylcerebrosidase.

Definitions

For purposes of the present invention, alignments of sequences and calculation of homology scores may be done using a full Smith-Waterman alignment, useful for both protein and DNA alignments. The default scoring matrices BLOSUM50 and the identity matrix are used for protein and DNA alignments respectively. The penalty for the first residue in a gap is—12 for proteins and—16 for DNA, while the penalty for additional residues in a gap is—2 for proteins and—4 for DNA.

Alignment may be made with the FASTA package version v20u6 (W. R. Pearson and D. J. Lipman (1988), “Improved Tools for Biological Sequence Analysis”, PNAS 85:2444-2448, and W. R. Pearson (1990) “Rapid and Sensitive Sequence Comparison with FASTP and FASTA”, Methods in Enzymology, 183:63-98).

Multiple alignments of protein sequences may be made using “Clustal W” (Thompson, J. D., Higgins, D. G. and Gibson, T J. (1994) CLUSTALW: improving the sensitivity of progressive multiple sequence alignment through sequence weighting, positions-specific gap penalties and weight matrix choice. Nucleic Acids Research, 22:4673-4680). Multiple alignment of DNA sequences may be done using the protein alignment as a template, replacing the amino acids with the corresponding codon from the DNA sequence.

In the context of the present invention, the term “E. C.” (Enzyme Class) refers to the internationally recognized enzyme classification system, Recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Academic Press, Inc.

The term “origin” used in the context of amino acid sequences, e.g. proteins, or nucleic acid sequences is to be understood as referring to the organism from which it derives. Said sequence may be expressed by another organism using gene technology methods well known to a person skilled in the art. This also encompasses sequences which have been chemically synthesized. Furthermore, said sequences may comprise minor changes such as codon optimization, i.e. changes in the nucleic acid sequences which do not affect the amino acid sequence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Polypeptide of Interest

The polypeptide of the present invention may in particular be a hormone or hormone variant, an enzyme, a receptor or portion thereof, an antibody or portion thereof, an allergen or a reporter. The polypeptide of interest may in particular be an enzyme selected from one of six major enzyme groups, such as an oxidoreductase (E.C.1), a transferase (E.C.2), a hydrolase (E.C.3), a lyase (E.C.4), an isomerase (E.C.5), or a ligase (E.C.6). In a more particular aspect, the polypeptide of interest may be an aminopeptidase, amylase, carbohydrase, carboxypeptidase, catalase, cellulase, cellobiohydrolase, chitinase, cutinase, cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase, deoxyribonuclease, endoglucanase, esterase, alpha-galactosidase, beta-galactosidase, glucoamylase, alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase, invertase, laccase, lipase, mannosidase, mutanase, oxidase, pectinolytic enzyme, peroxidase, phosphoiipase, phytase, polyphenoloxidase, proteolytic enzyme, ribonuclease, transglutaminase, xylanase, or beta-xylosidase.

The polypeptide of interest may in particular be a polypeptide which is useful as a medicament.

Examples of a suitable polypeptide of interest include but is not limited to one selected from the group consisting of a phorphobilinogen deaminase, an aryl sulfatase, an alpha-mannosidase and a galactocerebrosidase.

In principle a polypeptide of interest derivable from any source may be treated according to the methods of the present invention.

In a particular embodiment, the polypeptide of interest may be of human origin. Especially in the context of using a polypeptide of interest for the manufacture of a medicament, which is to be administered to humans may the polypeptide be of human origin as this may minimize the risk of unwanted allergic reactions. Natural variations of human polypeptide due to e.g. polymorphism are in the context of the present invention included in the term “human origin”.

The polypeptide of interest may in particular be produced as a recombinant protein, i.e. a nucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide of interest may be introduced into a cell for expression of the polypeptide of interest. The recombinant expression may be homologous or heterologous, i.e. the polypeptide of interest may be expressed in cell which it is naturally expressed by (homologous expression) or it may be expressed by a cell which it is not naturally expressed by (heterologous expression).

The recombinant polypeptide of interest may be expressed by any cell suitable for recombinant production of the particular polypeptide of interest. Examples of suitable cells include but are not limited to prokaryotic cells, such as an E. coli cell or a Bacillus cell. Examples of suitable eukaryotic cells include but are not limited to a yeast ceil or a mammalian cell such as a Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO). Alternatively, it may be a human cell.

Suitable host cells for the expression of glycosylated polypeptide are derived from multicellular organisms. Examples of invertebrate cells include plant and insect cells. However, the host cell may also be a vertebrate cell, and propagation of vertebrate cells in culture (tissue culture) has become a routine procedure

The term “recombinant polypeptide” or “recombinant polypeptide of interest” denotes herein a recombinant produced polypeptide.

Reference to a particular polypeptide of interest, includes in the context of the present invention, also functionally equivalent parts or analogues of the polypeptide of interest. For example; if the polypeptide of interest is an enzyme, a functionally equivalent part of the enzyme could be a domain or subsequence of the enzyme, which includes the necessary catalytic site to enable the domain or subsequence to exert substantially the same enzymatic activity as the full-length enzyme, or alternatively a gene coding for the catalyst. The term “substantially the same enzymatic activity” refers to an equivalent part, or analogue having at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, more preferably at least 70%, more preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 85%, more preferably at least 90%, more preferably at least 95% and most preferably at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% of the activity of the natural enzyme. An example of an enzymatically equivalent analogue of the enzyme could be a fusion protein, which includes the catalytic site of the enzyme in a functional form, but it can also be a homologous variant of the enzyme derived from another species. Also, completely synthetic molecules that mimic the specific enzymatic activity of the relevant enzyme would also constitute “enzymatic equivalent analogues”.

Generally, the skilled person will be able to readily devise appropriate assays for the determination of enzymatic activity. For PBGD, however, a suitable assay is described in WO 03/002731, in example 2, as well as in the experimental sections of the present applications. Arylsulfatase, in addition to its natural substrates, is also able to catalyze the hydrolysis of the synthetic, chromogenic substrate, para-Nitrocatechol sulfate (pNCS). The product, para-Nitrocatechol (pNC), absorbs light at 515 nm. An assay for determination of aryl sulfatase activity is described in details in WO 2005/073367 and in Fluharty et al. 1978, Meth. Enzymol. 50:537-47. For LAMAN, an appropriate enzyme activity assay is disclosed in WO 02/099092.

Porphobilinogen Deaminase

In one embodiment, the polypeptide of interest of the invention may be porphobilinogen deaminase, (also known as porphobilinogen ammonia-lyase (polymerizing)), E.C. 4.3.1.8. (Waldenström 1937. J. Acta.Med. Scand. Supp1.8). Porphobilinogen deaminase is the third enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway. E.C. 4.3.1.8 has been transferred to E.C. 2.5.1.61, so porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) is now placed under this E.C. number.

Porphobilinogen deaminase catalyzes the reaction of 4 porphobilinogen+H₂O=hydroxymethylbilane+4 NH₃.

PBDG is important in relation to Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), which is an autosomal dominant disorder in man caused by a defect (50% reduction of activity) of PBDG (see WO01/07065 for further details in relation to this).

Porphobilinogen deaminase is in short known as PBGD and in the context of the present invention these two terms may be used inter-changeably with one another.

For recombinant expression of PBGD, a host cell may in particular be a yeast cell or an E. coli cell.

For a detailed example of construction of a recombinant E. coli cell, reference is made to example 1 of WO01/07065 and for construction of recombinant HeLa cells and NIH 3T3 cells capable of expressing mouse PBGD, reference is made to example 6, of WO01/07065.

The term “recombinant porphobilinogen deaminase (rPBGD),” denotes herein a recombinant produced PBGD. In the following, this enzyme and the recombinant human form will be termed “PBGD” and “rhPBGD”, respectively. Within this term is also included an enzymatically equivalent part or analogue of PBGD. One example of an enzymatically equivalent part of the enzyme, could be a domain or subsequence of the enzyme which includes the necessary catalytic site to enable the domain or subsequence to exert substantially the same enzymatic activity as the full-length enzyme or alternatively a gene coding for the catalyst. The term “substantially the same enzymatic activity” refers to an equivalent part or analogues enzyme having at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, more preferably at least 70%, more preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 85%, more preferably at least 90%, more preferably at least 95% and most preferably at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% of the activity of natural human rhPBGD measured in the rhPBGD activity assay described in example 2 of WO 03/002731. An example of an enzymatically equivalent analogue of the enzyme could be a fusion protein which includes the catalytic site of the enzyme in a functional form, but it can also be a homologous variant of the enzyme derived from another species. Also, completely synthetic molecules that mimic the specific enzymatic activity of the relevant enzyme would also constitute “enzymatic equivalent analogues”.

An example of PBGD which may be used in the present invention includes any of those shown in Sequence 1-10 of the present application, or in Genebank no. X04217, X04808 or M95623.

Aryl Sulfatase

In another embodiment of the present invention the polypeptide of interest may be an arylsulfatase A.

Arylsulfatase A catalyzes the reaction of a cerebroside 3-sulfate+H2O=a cerebroside+sulphate.

ASA has been purified from a variety of sources including human liver, placenta, and urine. It is an acidic glucoprotein with a low isoelectric point. Above pH 6.5, the enzyme exists as a dimer with a molecular weight of approximately 110 kDa. ASA undergoes a pH-dependent polymerisation forming an octamer at pH 4.5. In human urine, the enzyme consists of two non-identical subunits of 63 and 54 kDa. ASA purified from human liver, placenta, and fibroblasts also consist of two subunits of slightly different sizes varying between 55 and 64 kDa. As in the case of other lysosomal enzymes, ASA is synthesized on membrane-bound ribosomes as a glycosylated precursor. It then passes through the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi, where its N-linked oligosaccharides are processed with the formation of phosphorylated and sulfated oligosaccharide of the complex type (Waheed A et al. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1985, 847, 53-61, Braulke T et al. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1987, 143, 178-185). In normal cultured fibroblasts, a precursor polypeptide of 62 kDa is produced, which translocates via mannose-6-phosphate receptor binding (Braulke T et al. J Biol Chem. 1990, 265, 6650-6655) to an acidic prelysosomal endosome (Kelly B M et al. Eur J Cell Biol. 1989, 48, 71-78).

The arylsulfatase A may in particular be of human origin. The length (18 amino acids) of the human ASA signal peptide is based on the consensus sequence and a specific processing site for a signal sequence. Hence, from the deduced human ASA cDNA (EMBL GenBank accession numbers 304593 and X521151) the cleavage of the signal peptide should be done in all cells after residue number 18 (Ala), resulting in the mature form of the human ASA. In the following, recombinant arylsulfatase A will be abbreviated rASA, the mature form of arylsulfatase A including the mature form of human ASA will be termed “mASA” and the mature recombinant human ASA will be termed “mrhASA”.

A protein modification has been identified in two eukaryotic sulfatases (ASA and arylsulfatase B (ASB)) and for one from the green alga Volvox carteri (Schmidt B et al. Cell. 1995, 82, 271-278, Selmer Tet al. Eur J Biochem. 1996, 238, 341-345). This modification leads to the conversion of a cysteine residue, which is conserved among the known sulfatases, into a 2-amino-3-oxopropionic acid residue (Schmidt B et al. Cell, 1995, 82, 271-278). The novel amino acid derivative is also recognized as C*-formylglycin (FGly). In ASA and ASB derived from MSD cells, the Cys-69 residue is retained. Consequently, it is proposed that the conversion of the Cys-69 to FGly-69 is required for generating catalytically active ASA and ASB, and that deficiency of this protein modification is the cause of MSD. Cys-69 is referred to the precursor ASA which has an 18 residue signal peptide. In the mASA the mentioned cysteine residue is Cys-51. Further investigations have shown that a linear sequence of 16 residues surrounding the Cys-51 in the mASA is sufficient to direct the conversion and that the protein modification occurs after or at a late stage of co-translational protein translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum when the polypeptide is not yet folded to its native structure (Dierks T et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 1997, 94, 11963-1196, Wittke, D. et al. (2004), Acta Neuropathol. (Berl.), 108, 261-271).

Multiple forms of ASA have been demonstrated on electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing of enzyme preparations from human urine, leukocytes, platelets, cultured fibroblasts and liver. Treatment with endoglycosidase H, sialidase, and alkaline phosphatase reduces the molecular size and complexity of the electrophoretic pattern, which suggests that much of the charge heterogeneity of ASA is due to variations in the carbohydrate content of the enzyme.

The arylsulfatase A may in particular be a form of arylsulfatase A, which is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier and/or a form of rASA, which possesses specific tags for entry into target cells within the brain. In particular, it may be a rASA, which is efficiently endocytosed in vivo via the mannose-6-phosphate pathway.

Thus the ASA may in particular be covalently bound to a so-called tag, peptides or proteins as vehicles or toxins as vehicles which are capable of increasing and/or facilitating transport of ASA over the blood-brain barrier and/or across cellular membranes in general (Schwarze et al., Trends Cell Biol. 2000; 10(7): 290-295; Lindgren et al., Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 2000; 21(3): 99-103). An ASA molecule containing such peptide sequences can be produced by expression techniques. The protein transduction process is not cell type specific and the mechanism by which it occurs is not fully elucidated, however, it is believed that it takes place by some sort of membrane perturbation and penetration process that is receptor independent. A partially unfolded state of the molecule may facilitate the process but is not essential.

An example of a suitable tag includes but is not limited to the mannose-6-phosphate tag.

Examples of peptides or proteins as vehicle include but are not limited to so-called protein-transducing domains. Examples of suitable protein-transducing domains include but are not limited to those mentioned in WO 2005/073367, which is incorporated herein by reference. Hence the protein-transducing domain may be the 11 residue basic peptide from the HIV TAT protein -YGRKKRRQRRR (Schwarze et al., Trends Cell Biol. 2000; 10(7): 290-295), a synthetic version of TAT YARAAARQARA that confers more alpha-helicity and amphipathic nature to the sequence (Ho et al., Cancer Res. 2001; 61(2):474-477), a synthetic leader peptide composed of poly R or a mixture of basic R and K residues in combination with other amino acids and peptides based on hydrophobic, signal sequence moieties from either beta-3 integrin or Kaposi's sarcoma FGF (Dunican et al. Biopolymers 2001; 60(1): 45-60).

Examples of suitable toxins as vehicles include but are not limited to those described in WO 2005/073367, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The ASA may in particular comprise a nucleic acid sequence, which encodes:

-   -   (a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/073367;     -   (b) a portion of the sequence in (a), which is enzymatically         equivalent to recombinant human arylsulfatase A     -   (c) an amino acid sequence analogue having at least 75% sequence         identity to any one of the sequences in (a) or (b) and at the         same time comprising an amino acid sequence, which is         enzymatically equivalent to recombinant human arylsulfatase A.

In the present context, an amino acid sequence or a portion of an amino acid sequence which is a polypeptide capable of hydrolyzing an amount of the arylsulfatase A substrate pNCS at 37° C. a rate corresponding to a specific activity of at least 20 U/mg polypeptide (preferably 50 U/mg polypeptide) when determined in an assay for measuring arylsulfatase A activity as described In example 1 of WO 2005/073367, and/or a polypeptide, which is capable of hydrolyzing at least 40% of labelled arylsulfatase A substrate, fx. 14 C palmitoyl sulfatide, loaded into MLD fibroblasts, when assayed by incubation at a dose level of 25 mU/ml in an assay as described in example 2 of WO 2005/073367.

The ASA may in another embodiment in particular comprise:

-   -   (a) the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 in WO 2005/073367     -   (b) a portion of the sequence in (a), which encodes an amino         acid sequence, which is enzymatically equivalent to recombinant         human arylsulfatase A     -   (c) a nucleic acid sequence analogue having at least 75%         sequence identity to any one of the sequences in (a) or (b) and         at the same time encoding an amino acid sequence, which is         enzymatically equivalent to recombinant human arylsulfatase A

It may be preferred that the degree of sequence identity between the above mentioned nucleic acid sequence and SEQ ID NO: 1 of WO 2005/073367 is at least 80%, such as at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99%. It may be equally preferred that the degree of sequence identity between the amino acid sequence encoded by the above mentioned nucleic acid sequence and SEQ ID NO: 2 WO 2005/073367 is at least 80%, such as at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99%.

For the purpose of the present invention it is preferred that the arylsulfatase A is a recombinant enzyme, particularly preferred is recombinant human arylsulfatase A (rhASA).

It is preferred that rASA is produced in a mammalian cell or cell line and that said mammalian cell or cell line produces a glycoform of rASA, which is efficiently endocytosed in vivo via the mannose-6-phosphate receptor pathway. Specifically, the preferred glycoform of rASA comprises an amount of exposed mannose-6-phosphate, which allows efficient endocytosis of rASA in vivo via the mannose-6-phosphate pathway.

In a particular embodiment at least one of the produced glycoforms of rASA is similar to a glycoform produced in CHO cells.

The post translational modification of the cysteine residue in position 51, in the mature human arylsulfatase A, is relevant for the activity of the enzyme. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention production of the arylsulfatase A or its equivalent occurs at a rate and under conditions, which result in a product comprising an isoform of the enzyme in which the amino acid corresponding to Cys-69 in SEQ ID NO: 2 of WO 2005/073367 is converted to Formylglycine, corresponding to Fgly-51 in SEQ ID NO: 3 of WO 2005/073367. SEQ ID NO: 4 of WO 2005/073367 represents mature human arylsulfatase A after cleavage of the 18 amino acid signal peptide but prior to modification of C-51.

Thus in another embodiment of the present invention the ASA or its enzymatical equivalent may be selected from the group consisting of

-   -   (a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 of WO 2005/073367;     -   (b) a portion of the sequence in (a), which is enzymatically         equivalent to recombinant human arylsulfatase A     -   (c) an amino acid sequence analogue having at least 75% sequence         identity to any one of the sequences in (a) or (b) and at the         same time being enzymatically equivalent to recombinant human         arylsulfatase A.

It may be preferred that the degree of sequence identity between the enzyme produced according to the invention and SEQ ID NO: 3 of WO 2005/073367 or SEQ ID NO: 4 of WO 2005/073367 is at least 80%, such as at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99%.

For the biological activity and the effects of the enzyme in vivo requires to be optimal it is an advantage if an adequate amount of the enzyme has acquired a glycosylation pattern as described above and has been modified post translationally at position 51. Thus at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 98% of the ASA of the present invention may be in the above described glycoform/isoform.

The ASA of the present invention may, in terms of its structure be different from the rASA according to SEQ ID NO: 3 of 2005/073367. It may be an advantage that the sequence of amino acid residues surrounding the Cys-51 is identical or has a high degree of sequence identity to the corresponding sequence in SEQ ID NO: 3. Thus, it may be preferred that a linear sequence of 20 amino acids, such as 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 or 4 amino acid residues surrounding the Cys-51 in the arylsulfatase A is identical or at least 90% identical, such as 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identical to the corresponding sequence in SEQ ID NO: 3 of 2005/073367. As the active form of rASA within the lysosomes is an octamer the ASA of the present invention may in particular be a rASA which is an octamer or assembles into an octamer under physiological conditions.

The enzyme activity of ASA, which is to be understood as the catalytic activity of the rASA, may be measured in an enzyme assay based on the rASA mediated hydrolysis of either a detectable substrate or a substrate, which leads to a detectable end product. In a preferred aspect the assay is based on hydrolysis of the synthetic, chromogenic substrate, para-Nitrocatechol sulphate (pNCS) which has an end product, para-Nitrocatechol (pNC) that absorbs light at 515 nm.

Lysosomal Alpha-Mannosidase

In yet another embodiment, the polypeptide of interest may be a lysosomal alpha-mannosidase (LAMAN). Lysomal alpha-mannosidase belongs to EC 3.2.1.24 and is an exoglycosidase which hydrolyses the terminal, non-reducing alpha-D-mannose residues in alpha-D-mannosides from the non-reducing end during the ordered degradation of N-linked glycoproteins (Aronson and Kuranda FASEB J 3:2615-2622. 1989). In the context of the present invention the term lysosomal alpha-mannosidase may be used interchangeably with the short term LAMAN.

The LAMAN of the present invention may in particular be of human origin. The human enzyme is synthesized as a single polypeptide of 1011 amino acids with a putative signal peptide of 49 residues that is processed into three main glycopeptides of 15, 42, and 70 KD (Nilssen et al. Hum.Mol.Genet. 6, 717-726. 1997).

The gene coding for LAMAN (MANB) is located at chromosome 19 (19cen-q12), (Kaneda et al. Chromosoma 95:8-12. 1987). MANB consists of 24 exons, spanning 21.5 kb (GenBank accession numbers U60885-U60899; Riise et al. Genomics 42:200-207. 1997). The LAMAN transcript is»3,500 nucleotides (nts) and contains an open reading frame encoding 1,011 amino acids (GenBank U60266.1).

The cloning and sequencing of the human cDNA encoding LAMAN has been published in three papers (Nilssen et al. Hum.Mol.Genet. 6, 717-726. 1997; Liao et al. J.Biol.Chem. 271, 28348-28358. 1996; Nebes et al. Biochem.Biophys.Res.Cmmun, 200, 239-245. 1994). Curiously, the three sequences are not identical. When compared to the sequence of Nilssen et al. (accession # U60266.1) a TA to AT change at positions 1670 and 1671 resulting in a valine to aspartic acid substitution was found by Liao et al. and Nebes et al.

In a most preferred embodiment, the lysosomal alpha mannosidase comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1 of WO 2005/094874.

For practical and economic reasons it is preferred that the LAMAN of the present invention is produced recombinant. By recombinant production it may also be possible to obtain a preparation of the enzyme wherein a large fraction contains mannose-6-phosphate. Recombinant production may be achieved after transfection of a cell using a nucleic acid sequence comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 of WO 2005/094874.

The alpha-mannosidase is preferably made in a mammalian cell system as this will result in a glycosylation profile, which ensures efficient receptor mediated uptake in cells of for instance visceral organs of the body. In particular, it has been found that production of the enzyme in CHO, COS or BHK cells ensures adequate post-translational modification of the enzyme by addition of mannose-6-phosphate residues. In addition a correct sialylation profile is obtained. Correct sialylation is known to be important in order to prevent uptake by the liver, because of exposed galactose residues.

In even more preferred embodiments the mammalian cell system is therefore selected from the group comprising CHO, COS cells or BHK cells (Stein et al. J Biol Chem. 1989, 264, 1252-1259). It may further be preferred that the mammalian cell system is a human fibroblast cell line.

In a most preferred embodiment, the mammalian cell system is a CHO cell line.

In another embodiment, the lysosomal alpha-mannosidase may be a preparation of lysosomal alpha-mannosidase wherein a fraction of said preparation consists of lysosomal alpha mannosidase having one or more N-linked oligosaccharides carrying mannose 6-phosphate groups.

It is further preferred that a fraction of a preparation of said lysosomal alpha-mannosidase is capable of binding to mannose 6-phosphate receptors.

The ability of the enzyme to bind to mannose-6-phosphate receptors may be determined in an in vitro assay as described in example 1 of WO 2005/094874. Here, binding of the enzyme to a MPR affinity 300 Matrix provides a measure of its ability to bind to mannose-6-phosphate receptors. In a preferred embodiment of the invention binding of the enzyme to mannose-6-phosphate receptors occurs in vitro.

In more preferred embodiments of the invention this fraction corresponds to from 1 to 75% of the activity of a preparation of lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, such as from 2 to 70%, such as from 5 to 60%, such as from 10 to 50% such as from 15 to 45%, such as from 20 to 40%, such as from 30 to 35%.

Accordingly, it is preferred that the lysosomal alpha-mannosidase has a content of mannose 6-phosphate residues allowing mannose 6-phosphate dependent binding of from 2 to 100%, 5 to 95%, 10 to 90%, 20 to 80%, 30 to 70% or 40 to 60% of the amount of enzyme to a Man-6-P-receptor matrix. At present, the degree of phosphorylation has been analyzed in several batches of enzyme and, typically, from 30 to 45% of the enzyme is phosphorylated and binds the affinity matrix.

It is further preferred that a fraction constituting from 2-100%, 5-90%, 10-80%, 20-75%, 30-70%, 35-65% or 40-60% of the amount of said lysosomal alpha-mannosidase binds to the Man-6-P-receptor with high affinity. Theoretically, two mannose 6-phosphate groups must be positioned close to each other in order for the enzyme to bind a Man-6-P-receptor with high affinity. Recent observations suggest that the distance between the phosphorylated mannose residues must be 40 Å or less in order to obtain high affinity binding. In the human lysosomal alpha-mannosidase according to SEQ ID NO: 1 of WO 2005/094874, the two mannose 6-phosphate residues may be situated at the asparagine residues, in positions 367 and 766. Accordingly, it is preferred that the medicament according to the present invention comprises lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, a fraction of which carries mannose 6-phosphate groups at both of these asparagine residues.

Preferably, the alpha-mannosidase is made by recombinant techniques. In a further embodiment, the alpha-mannosidase is of human origin (hLAMAN) and still more preferred a mature human alpha-mannosidase (mhLAMAN) or a fragment thereof. The fragment may be modified, however the active sites of the enzyme should be preserved.

It is to be expected that, in preparations of alpha-mannosidase according to the present invention, one fraction of the enzyme is represented by its precursor form, while other fractions represent the proteolytically processed forms of approximately 55 and 70 kDa.

Galactocerebrosidase

In another embodiment the polypeptide of interest may be a galactocerebrosidase, which may be short ended to GALC. Galactocerebrosidase belongs to E.C. 3.1.6.46 and are enzymes capable of catalyzing the reaction of D-galactosyl-N-acylsphingosine+H2O=D-galactose+N-acylsphingosine, thus GALC catalyzes the degradation of galactolipids in for example myelin.

The GALC enzyme derived from humans is a glycosylated lysosomal enzyme comprising 643 amino acids and with a molecular weight of 72.8 kDa. The GALC of the present invention may in particular be of human origin. In a further embodiment the GALC may be expressed recombinant in one of the previously mentioned host cells. The host cell for recombinant expression of GALC may in particular be a CHO cell.

In the description and in the claims reference is made to the following amino acid and nucleic acid sequences:

Sequence Sequence description identifier PBGD coding sequence 1 SEQ ID NO.: 1 PBGD coding sequence 2 SEQ ID NO.: 2 PBGD coding sequence 3 SEQ ID NO.: 3 PBGD coding sequence 4 SEQ ID NO.: 4 PBGD coding sequence 5 SEQ ID NO.: 5 PBGD coding sequence 6 SEQ ID NO.: 6 PBGD coding sequence 7 SEQ ID NO.: 7 PBGD coding sequence 8 SEQ ID NO.: 8 PBGD coding sequence 9 SEQ ID NO.: 9 PBGD coding sequence 10 SEQ ID NO.: 10 PBGD coding sequence, GenBank Acc. No. X04217 SEQ ID NO.: 11 PBGD coding sequence, GenBank Acc. No. X04808 SEQ ID NO.: 12 PBGD coding sequence, GenBank Acc. No. M95623 SEQ ID NO.: 13 PBGD aa sequence from coding sequence, GenBank SEQ ID NO.: 14 Acc. No. M95623, Constitutive form PBGD aa sequence from coding sequence, GenBank SEQ ID NO.: 15 Acc. No. M95623, Erythropoietic form ASA coding sequence Genbank Acc. No. J04593 SEQ ID NO.: 16 ASA coding sequence SEQ ID NO.: 1 of WO 2005/ SEQ ID NO.: 17 073367 ASA aa sequence SEQ ID NO.: 2 of WO 2005/073367 SEQ ID NO.: 18 ASA aa sequence SEQ ID NO.: 3 of WO 2005/073367 SEQ ID NO.: 19 ASA aa sequence SEQ ID NO.: 4 of WO 2005/073367 SEQ ID NO.: 20 LAMAN aa sequence SEQ ID NO.: 1 of WO 2005/ SEQ ID NO.: 21 094874 LAMAN coding sequence SEQ ID NO.: 1 of WO SEQ ID NO,: 22 2005/094874 Galactocerebrosidase coding sequence SEQ ID NO.: 23 Galactocerebrosidase aa sequence SEQ ID NO.: 24

With reference to these sequences the polypeptide of interest, according to preferred embodiments of the invention, comprises an amino acid selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   i) an amino acid sequence as defined by any of SEQ ID NO.s: 14,         15, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 24;     -   ii) a functionally equivalent part of an amino acid sequence as         defined in i); and     -   iii) a functionally equivalent analogue of an amino acid         sequence as defined in i) or ii), the amino acid sequence of         said analogue being at least 75% identical to an amino acid         sequence as defined in i) or ii).

In particular embodiments the analogue in iii) is at least 80% identical to a sequence as defined in i) or ii), such as at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or such as at least 99.5% identical to a sequence as defined in i) or ii).

Further, the polypeptide of interest may be obtained by recombinant expression using a nucleic acid sequence comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   i) a nucleic acid sequence as defined by any of SEQ ID NO.s:         1-13, 16, 17, 22 and 23;     -   ii) a nucleic acid sequence which is at least 75% identical to a         nucleic acid sequence as defined in i).

For recombinant production of the polypeptide, it may further be preferred that the acid sequence in ii) is at least 80% identical to a sequence as defined in i), such as at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least. 98%, at least 99%, or such as at least 99.5% identical to a sequence as defined in i).

Composition Comprising a Polypeptide of Interest

The following description of a composition comprising a polypeptide of interest relates both to a composition comprising a polypeptide which is concentrated according to a method of the present invention and it also relates to a composition of the present invention comprising at least 10 mg/ml polypeptide of interest.

The present invention also relates to a composition comprising at least 10 mg/ml polypeptide of interest, wherein the polypeptide of interest may be any polypeptide according to the present invention, such as in particular rhPBGD, aryl sulfatase, alpha-mannosidase or galactocerebrosidase. Said composition may in particular comprise at least 25 mg/ml polypeptide of interest, such as at least 50 mg/ml or at least 75 mg/ml or at least 100 mg/ml polypeptide of interest. Thus said composition may in particular comprise between 10-1000 mg/ml polypeptide of interest, such as between 10-500 mg/ml or between 10-300 mg/ml or between 10-200 mg/ml or between 25-500 mg/ml or between 25-400 mg/ml or between 40-400 mg/ml or between 40-300 mg/ml or between 50-400 mg/ml or between 50-300 mg/ml or between 75-400 mg/ml or between 75-300 mg/ml or between 100-200 mg/ml or between 100-150 mg/ml polypeptide of interest.

The composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may in particular be an aqueous solution.

Besides comprising a high concentration of polypeptide of interest said composition may in particular further comprise no aggregates of the polypeptide of interest or at least only very few aggregates. Hence the amount of polypeptide of interest present as aggregates may in particular constitute less than 5 w/w % of the total amount of polypeptide of interest in the composition. In particular said aggregates may constitute less than 4 w/w %, such as less than 3 w/w %, or less than 2 w/w %, or less than 1 w/w %, or less than 0.5 w/w %, or less than 0.1 w/w % of the total amount of polypeptide of interest. In the present context the term “aggregates” means any form of the polypeptide of interest which is not monomeric. Thus the term encompasses any dimer or multimer of the polypeptide of interest.

Furthermore, it is an advantage if said composition comprises only the polypeptide of interest or at least only minor traces of other proteins, i.e. proteins different from polypeptide of interest. Hence in a particular embodiment said composition comprises less than 1 w/w %, such as less than 0.5 w/w %, or less than 0.1 w/w %, or less than 0.05 w/w %, or less than 0.01 w/w % other proteins than the polypeptide of interest.

A range of factors affect the stability and activity of polypeptides and the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may therefore in particular be optimized to keep the polypeptide of interest as stable as possible.

The pH generally affects the stability of a polypeptide of interest, thus the pH of a composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may in particular be in the range of 7.5-8.5, such as in particular between pH 7.7-8.2, more particularly between pH 7.8-8.0 or between pH 7.85-7.95, such as pH 7.8 or pH 7.9. This may in particular be the case if the polypeptide of interest is PBGD.

Thus the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may in particular comprise a buffer capable of keeping the composition within the described pH range. Examples of such buffers include but are not limited to TRIS-HCL, Na-Citrate and Na₂HPO₄. The concentration of such a buffer may depend on the choice of the particular buffer and the presence of other components in the composition. If the buffer is Na₂HPO₄, the concentration of Na₂HPO₄ may be in the range of 0.5-15 mM, such as in the range of 1-10 mM, or in the range of 1.5-7.5 mM, such as in the range of 1.83-7.4 mM, or in the range of 1.5-3 mM, such as in the range of 1.83-3.7 mM, or in the range of 1.83-2.45 mM, or in the range of 3.5-7.5 mM, such as in the range of 3.6-7.4 mM, or in the range of 5.4-7.4 mM, such as 1.84 mM, or 2.45 mM, or 3.67 mM or 5.51 mM or 7.34 mM.

If the buffer is TRIS-HCL, the concentration of TRIS-HCL may in particular be in the range of 2-50 mM, such as 2-40 mM, or 2-30 mM, or 2-20 mM, or 2-10 mM, or 5-25 mM, or 5-20 mM, or 8-12 mM, or 9-11 mM, e.g. 10 mM.

Examples of other compounds which the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may comprise include but are not limited to amino acids, sugars, alcohols and detergents. Examples of such suitable compounds include but are not limited to glycine, mannitol, sucrose, L-serine, Tween 80 or a combination of one or more of said compounds, The concentration of these compounds depend on the particular compound, but for glycine the concentration may in particular be in the range of 1-200 mM, such as in the range of 5-190 mM, or in the range of 10-180 mM, or in the range of 10-170 mM, or in the range of 20-160 mM, or in the range of 20-150 mM, or in the range of 25-125 mM, or in the range of 5-100 mM, or in the range of 5-90 mM, or in the range of 5-80 mM, or in the range of 5-70 mM, or in the range of 5-60 mM, or in the range of 10-100 mM, or in the range of 10-90 mM, or in the range of 10-80 mM, or in the range of 10-70 mM, or in the range of 10-60 mM, or in the range of 12-60 mM, or in the range of 12-55 mM, or in the range of 13.5-54 mM, or in the range of 10-30 mM, such as in the range of 13.5-27 mM, or in the range of 13.5-18 mM, or in the range of 25-55 mM, such as in the range of 27-54 mM, or in the range of 40-55, such as in the range of 40.5-54 mM, such as 12.5, 13, 13.5, 14, 14.5, 17, 17.5, 18, 18.5, 19, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 39.5, 40, 40.5, 41, 41.5, or 53, 53.5, 54.5 or 55 mM.

The concentration of mannitol may in particular be in the range of 50-1000 mM, such as in the range of 50-900 mM, or in the range of 50-800 mM, or in the range of 50-700 mM, or in the range of 50-600 mM, or in the range of 100-900 mM, or in the range of 100-800 mM, or in the range of 100-700 mM, or in the range of 100-600 mM, or in the range of 100-500 mM, or in the range of 120-525 mM, or in the range of 125-500 mM, or in the range of 100-300 mM, such as in the range of 120-275 mM, or in the range of 120-170 mM, or in the range of 200-600 mM, such as in the range of 225-550 mM, or in the range of 240-510 mM, or in the range of 370-525 mM, such as 120, 125, 130, 160, 165, 166.7, 170, 175, 200, 221, 225, 250, 275, 300, 365, 370, 375, 380, 385, 490, 495, 500, 505 or 510 mM.

The concentration of sucrose may in particular be in the range of 1-200 mM, such as in the range of 5-190 mM, or in the range of 10-180 mM, or in the range of 10-170 mM, or in the range of 20-160 mM, or in the range of 20-150 mM, or in the range of 25-125 mM, or in the range of 5-100 mM, or in the range of 5-90 mM, or in the range of 5-80 mM, or in the range of 5-70 mM, or in the range of 5-60 mM, or in the range of 10-100 mM, or in the range of 10-90 mM, or in the range of 10-80 mM, or in the range of 10-70 mM, or in the range of 10-60 mM, or in the range of 12-60 mM, or in the range of 12-55 mM, or in the range of 13.5-54 mM, or in the range of 10-30 mM, such as in the range of 13.5-27 mM, or in the range of 13.5-18 mM, or in the range of 25-55 mM, such as in the range of 27-54 mM, or in the range of 40-55, such as in the range of 40.5-54 mM, such as 12.5, 13, 13.5, 14, 14.5, 17, 17.5, 18, 18.5, 19, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 39.5, 40, 40.5, 41, 41.5, or 53, 53.5, 53, 54.5 or 55 mM. If sucrose Is included in a composition which also comprises mannitol the concentration of mannitol may in particular be lowered corresponding to the concentration of sucrose; i.e. the concentration of mannitol and sucrose together may in particular be the same as the concentration of mannitol if this was to be used alone.

The concentration of Tween 80 may in particular be in the range of 0.001-1 w/v %, such as in the range of 0.005-1 w/v %, or in the range of 0.01-1 w/v %, or in the range of 0.001-0.5 w/v %, or in the range of 0.005-0.5 w/v %, or in the range of 0.01-0.5 w/v %, or in the range of 0.05-0.4 w/v %, or In the range of 0.05-0.3 w/v %, or in the range of 0.05-0.2 w/v %, or in the range of 0.075-0.4 w/v %, or in the range of 0.075-0.3 w/v %, or in the range of 0.075-0.2 w/v %, or in the range of 0.09-0.2 w/v %, such as 0.075, 0.08, 0.09, 0.1, 0.125, 0.15, 0.175 or 0.2 w/v %.

The composition comprising a polypeptide of interest, wherein the polypeptide in particular may be a PBGD, an aryl sulfatase, a lysosomal alpha-mannosidase or a galactocerebrosidase, may in particular comprise a combination of one or more of the above-mentioned compounds. A suitable example of such a composition may be one which besides the polypeptide of interest comprises Na₂HPO₄, glycine and mannitol. The pH of the composition and the concentration of the different compounds may be as described above. Hence said composition may in one embodiment comprise 0.5-15 mM Na₂HPQ₄, 1-200 mM glycine, 50-1000 mM mannitol and a pH in the range of 7.5-8.5. Any combination of the above mentioned concentrations of compounds and pH are encompassed by the present invention. A specific example of a suitable combination of other compounds and pH in the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest is one which comprises 3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄, 27 mM glycine, 250 mM mannitol and has a pH in the range of 7.7 to 7.9.

Other examples of suitable compositions include, but are not limited to any of the following:

-   -   1.84 mM Na₂HPO₄, 13.5 mM glycine, 125 mM mannitol and pH in the         range of 7.7 to 7.9.     -   2.45 mM Na₂HPO₄, 18 mM glycine, 167 mM mannitol and pH in the         range of 7.7 to 7.9.     -   5.51 mM Na₂HPO₄, 40.5 mM glycine, 375 mM mannitol and pH in the         range of 7.7 to 7.9.     -   7.34 mM Na₂HPO₄, 54 mM glycine, 500 mM mannitol and pH in the         range of 7.7 to 7.9.     -   3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄, 27 mM glycine, 220 mM mannitol, 30 mM sucrose         and pH in the range of 7.7 to 7.9.     -   3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄, 245 mM mannitol, 32 mM sucrose and pH in the         range of 7.7 to 7.9.     -   3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄, 27 mM L-serine, 2.50 mM mannitol and pH in the         range of 7.7 to 7.9.     -   10 mM TRIS-HCl, 27 mM glycine, 250 mM mannitol and pH in the         range of 7.7 to 7.9.     -   3.67 mM NaCitrat, 27 mM glycine, 250 mM mannitol and pH in the         range of 7.7 to 7.9.     -   3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄, 27 mM glycine, 220 mM mannitol, 29 mM sucrose,         0.1% (w/v) Tween 80 and pH in the range of 7.7 to 7.9.     -   3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄, 27 mM glycine, 220 mM mannitol, 29 mM sucrose,         0.1% (w/v) Tween 80 and pH in the range of 7.7 to 7.9.

The composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may in particular be used for therapeutic applications in mammals. Thus the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may in particular be isotonic with regard to the tissue of mammals, e.g. it may in particular have an osmolality in the range of 200-400 mOsm/kg, such as in the range of 250-350 mOsm/kg or in the range of 275-325 rnOsm/kg or in the range of 295-305 mOsm/kg, such as 295 mOsm/kg or 300 mOsm/kg or 305 mOsm/kg.

Method of Concentrating a Polypeptide of Interest

The method of the present invention comprises the steps of a) centrifugation and/or filtration of a composition comprising a polypeptide of interest and b) concentrating the composition from step a). The inventors of the present invention have found that by centrifugation and/or filtrating a composition comprising a polypeptide of interest prior to concentrating said composition it is possible to obtain a composition comprising a highly concentrated polypeptide of interest without any or with at least only few aggregates of the polypeptide of interest. Furthermore, it is generally an advantage for therapeutic applications of a polypeptide that the amount of polypeptide aggregates is reduced, e.g. as they may increase the risk of eliciting an immune response towards the polypeptide.

For administration of a polypeptide subcutaneously it is an advantage that the polypeptide composition has a high activity in a small volume as only small volumes can be injected subcutaneously.

Proteins or polypeptides may in general form aggregates when they are concentrated. Thus it is an advantage that when the method of the present invention is used to concentrate a polypeptide of interest it does not cause a high rate of polypeptide aggregate formation, As shown in the examples the amount of PBGD aggregates in the composition obtained by the concentration method of the present invention is similar to that of a non-concentrated PBGD composition.

In a particular embodiment step a) of the method is performed prior to step b).

Step a) Centrifugation and/or Filtration

The inventors of the present invention have found that prior to concentrating a composition comprising a polypeptide of interest it is an advantage to pre-treat the composition by centrifugation and/or filtration of the composition as by this pre-treatment many or most of the polypeptide aggregates are removed.

When the concentration of the composition in step b) is performed by a method which relies on the use of a filter or membrane, such as ultrafiltration, the presence of aggregates may block the filter or membrane so that small molecules and liquid are not able to cross the filter or membrane. This may decrease the speed by which the composition is concentrated and/or completely block any further concentration.

Hence for this type of concentration the pre-treatment according to step a) is an advantage as removal of the aggregates makes it possible to obtain compositions of a polypeptide of interest which are more concentrated than if said composition were not been pre-treated.

When the concentration of the composition in step b) is performed by a method which is based on the removal of water, such as freeze-drying or evaporation, the pre-treatment in step a) has the advantage that it reduces the amount of aggregates present in the concentrated composition.

Step a) may be performed by one of the following three alternatives:

-   -   Centrifugation,     -   Filtration, or     -   Centrifugation and filtration.

If step a) comprises both centrifugation and filtration it is an advantage to perform the centrifugation prior to the filtration as the inventors of the present invention have found that the centrifugation removes most of large aggregates and the filtration subsequently removes the remaining smaller aggregates.

Centrifugation

To be able to remove the aggregates the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may be centrifuged at a force in the range of 1500-3000 g, such as in the range of 1800-2500 g, or in the range of 2000-2300 g.

Typically the composition may be centrifuged for 10-60 minutes, such as for 15-50 minutes or for 20-40 minutes.

As the temperature may affect the stability of the polypeptide of interest the centrifugation may be performed at a temperature in the range of 2−20° C., such as from 3-15° C. or in the range of 3−10° C., or in the range of 3−8° C., such as at 4° C. or 5° C. or 6° C.

The centrifugation results in that the polypeptide of interest aggregates sediment, i.e. they form a pellet, while the individual polypeptide of interest molecules stays in the solution. So it is the supernatant of the centrifuged composition which is subsequently used in the method of the present invention.

Filtration

The composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may be filtered through a filter having a pore-size in the range of 0.20-5 μm, such as in the range of 0.2-2.5 μm.

Besides the pore-size of the filter also the material of which the filter is made of may affect filtration of polypeptide of interest. Examples of suitable membrane filters include but are not limited to polyethersulfone (PES), cellulose acetate, regenerated cellulose and polyvfnylidene fluoride (PVDF).

When molecules such as proteins are filtered it is usually the small molecules which are removed thus after filtration the polypeptide of interest may generally be present in the retentate. Hence it is generally the retentate from the filtration which is used in the subsequent steps of the present invention.

Step b) Concentrating

In principle any method of concentrating the polypeptide of interest composition may be used in step b) of the present invention.

Examples of such suitable methods include but are not limited to ultrafiltration and concentration by removal of water.

Ultrafiltration

Ultrafiltration is a separation method in which hydraulic pressure is used to force molecules and solvent across a membrane comprising pores of a particular size, also known as the cut-off size of value. Only molecules which have a molecular weight smaller than the cut-off value of the membrane are able to cross the membrane while those with a larger molecular weight do not cross the membrane and form the so-called retentate. The molecules present in the retentate are thereby concentrated as the solvent flows across the membrane.

In a particular embodiment the concentration of the solution or composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may be performed by Tangential flow filtration (TFF). This method is in particular useful for large-scale concentration, i.e. for concentration of solutions with a volume from one liter to several hundreds of liters. Thus this method is in particular useful for production of concentrated solutions of a polypeptide of interests on an industrial scale.

The TFF technique is based on the use of a particular apparatus which causes the solution which is to be filtrated to flow across a semi-permeable membrane; only molecules which are smaller than the membrane pores will pass through the membrane, forming the filtrate, leaving larger matter to be collected (retentate). With the TFF method two different pressures are applied; one to pump the solution into the system and to circulate it in the system (inlet pressure), and another pressure is applied over the membrane (membrane pressure) to force the small molecules and the solvent across the membrane. The inlet pressure may typically be in the range of 1-3 bar, such as between 1.5-2 bar. The membrane pressure may typically be larger than 1 bar.

The concentrated composition of a polypeptide of interest may be collected as the retentate when TFF is used to concentrate the composition.

Membranes useful for TFF may typically be made of regenerated cellulose or polyethersolufone (PES).

The pore-size of the membrane may typically have a molecular weight cut-off which is smaller than 10.000 Mw, such as in the range of 10-10.000 Mw.

In another embodiment the concentration of the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may be performed by the use of a centrifugal device. The principle of this method is that the solution is filtrated over a membrane by the application of a centrifugal force over the membrane. Such membranes are often characterized by a molecular weight (Mw) cut-off, i.e. this is the maximum molecular size of compounds which are able to cross the membrane and compound with a molecular size larger than this will not cross the membrane. The Mw cut-off of the membranes used in the present invention may in particular be smaller than 30.000 Mw, such as between 10-30.000 Mw.

The membrane may in particular be made of polyethersulfone (PES) or regenerated cellulose.

Examples of such suitable commercial filter devices may be Centricon Plus-80 or Centricon Plus-15.

The concentration may typically be performed by centrifugation at 2000-4500 g, such as between 2500-4000 g, or between 2750-3500 g, or between 3000-3500 g, such as at 3000 g or 3100 g or 3200 g or 3300 g or 3400 g or 3500 g.

Typically the centrifugation may be run for several hours, e.g. for more than one hour, such as for 1-10 hours.

To minimize any negative effects on the stability of the polypeptide of interest the centrifugation may in particular be performed at a temperature in the range of 2−20° C., such as In the range of 3−15° C. or in the range of 3−10° C. or in the range of 3−6° C.

Concentrating by Removal of Water

The principle of concentration by removal of water is usually that all, or most, of the water is removed to obtain a solid, and then subsequently diluting or dissolving this solid in a volume of water which is less than what it was previously diluted or dissolved in. However, it may in principle be performed by just removing the necessary amount of water to obtain the desired concentration without subsequently re-diluting or re-dissolving the compound.

Examples of suitable methods of concentrating by removal of water include freeze-drying and evaporation.

Both for freeze-drying and evaporation the three most relevant parameters is the temperature, pressure and the time.

The method of freeze-drying may be comprise the following three or four steps; a freezing-phase, a primary drying phase and a secondary drying phase and optionally a step of annealing after the freezing phase. Freeze-drying may in particular be performed as described with regard to freeze-drying included as a further step of the method of the present invention.

Further Steps

The polypeptide of interest may derive from a natural source, i.e. from cells naturally expressing the polypeptide of interest, or it may in particular be expressed recombinant.

Independent of where the polypeptide of interest derives from it may have been purified before being subjected to a method of the present invention.

Such “purification” may in particular include but is not limited to removal of cell debris, removal of other proteins than polypeptide of interest and removal of other components which may be present in the source from which the polypeptide of interest is derived. Thus in a particular embodiment of the present invention the composition comprising a polypeptide of Interest comprises less than 5 w/w %, or less than 1 w/w % or less 0.5 w/w % or less than 0.1 w/w % or less than 0.05 w/w % or less than 0.01 w/w % other proteins than the polypeptide of interest.

Thus other proteins which are expressed by e.g. a host cell may be removed from the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest before it is used in a method of the present invention.

Thus in a particular embodiment the method of the present invention may comprise one or more of following steps prior to step a):

-   -   i) recombinant expression of a polypeptide of interest     -   ii) purification of polypeptide of interest composition by one         or more steps of chromatography     -   iii) exchange of the formulation buffer

Recombinant expression of a polypeptide of interest may in particular be performed as described previously with regard to the polypeptide of interest.

If the polypeptide of interest is PBGD examples of suitable types of chromatography include but are not limited to affinity chromatography, Ion Exchange Chromatography (IEC) and chromatography on a hydroxyapatite column. In principle any combination of these chromatography methods may be used. The inventors of the present invention have previously found for PBGD that it is an advantage to perform at least the step of affinity chromatography and if this is combined with any of the other methods of chromatography it is an advantage to perform the step of affinity chromatography prior to the other chromatography steps (see e.g. WO 03/002731).

For the embodiment where the polypeptide of interest is PBGD examples of commercially available affinity chromatography columns include affinity coupling, group specific affinity, and metal chelate affinity columns.

The product catalogue 2001 of the company Amersham Pharmacia Biotech gives examples of affinity coupling columns, such as columns comprising immobilizing ligands, containing —NH₂, and columns comprising ligands, containing primary amino groups.

Metal chelate affinity columns are specially preferred for purifying proteins via metal ion complex formation with exposed histidine groups. Example 3 of WO01/07065 describes construction of a recombinant human Porphobilinogen deaminase with a “His-Tag” (rhPBGD-His). In order to purify rhPBGD-His it is preferred to use a metal chelate affinity column, such as a column having a cobalt metal affinity resin.

Examples of other suitable methods of affinity chromatography include but are not limited to columns having porcine heparin as ligand or columns having 1-Amino-4-[[4-[[4-chloro-6-[[3 (or 4)-sulfophenyl]amino]-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-3-sutfophenyl]amino]-9,10-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-2-anthracenesulfonic acid, also known as Cibracon Blue 3G, as ligand and using Triazine coupling as the ligand coupling method. A commercially available example of the latter is Blue Sepharose 6 Fast Flow (FF) from Amersham Pharmacia Biotech. Accordingly, a preferred embodiment of the invention relates to the process, as described herein, wherein the affinity chromatography column of step (i) is a column using a triazine coupling as ligand coupling method, and more preferably wherein the ligand is Cibacron Blue 3G.

The term “Ion Exchange Chromatography (IEC)” should herein be understood according to the art as a column separating molecules such as proteins on the basis of their net charge at a certain pH by electrostatic binding to a charged group on the column. Ion exchange denotes the absorption of ions of one type onto a column in exchange for others which are lost into solution.

Examples of suitable IEC columns are columns such as a Q Sepharose column, a Q SP Sepharose column, or a CM Sepharose column, it may in particular be a DEAE Sepharose column.

An example of a suitable hydroxyapatite column is a ceramic hydroxyapatite column. Hydroxyapatite (Cas(PO₄)3OH)₂ is a form of calcium phosphate that can be used for the separation and purification of proteins, enzymes, nucleic acids, viruses, and other macromolecules. Ceramic hydroxyapatite is a spherical, macroporous form of hydroxyapatite. CHT Type I (Bio-Rad) is an example of a suitable commercially available ceramic hydroxyapatite chromatography column.

In one embodiment the method of the present invention may comprise the following steps prior to step a):

-   -   i) recombinant expression of PBGD     -   ii) subjecting the PBGD composition from step i) to affinity         chromatography     -   iii) subjecting the PBGD composition of step ii) to ion exchange         chromatography

In a further embodiment the method of the present invention may comprise the following steps prior to step a):

-   -   i) recombinant expression of PBGD     -   ii) subjecting the PBGD composition from step i) to affinity         chromatography     -   iii) subjecting the PBGD composition from step ii) to ion         exchange chromatography     -   iv) subjecting the PBGD composition from step iii) to a         hydroxyapatite column

Both of these methods may optionally include a further step of dilution of diafiltration of the PBGD composition obtained from step ii). Thus said step should be after step ii) and before iii), i.e. a step iia). Step iia) has the purpose of reducing the concentration of salts to suitable conductivity, e.g. <10 mS/cm. This may in particular be relevant if DEAE Sepharose is used as resin in the ion exchange chromatography step, i.e. step iii), as this may facilitate binding of the captured PBGD to the DEAE Sepharose resin. Dilution may be obtained by addition of purified water directly or by ultrafiltration against purified water.

The recombinant expression of PBGD, step i) may be performed by any of the methods described above.

Examples of suitable affinity chromatography columns in step ii) may be any of the above mentioned.

Examples of suitable methods of performing ion exchange chromatography in step iii) may be any of the above mentioned.

Examples of suitable hydroxyapatite chromatography columns in step iv) may be any of the above mentioned.

In a particular embodiment the affinity chromatography column may be a column using a triazine coupling as ligand coupling method, and in particular such a method wherein the ligand is Cibracon Blue 3G. This may in particular be a Blue Sepharose 6 Fast Flow column, and the ion exchange chromatography column may be DEAE Sepharose column, and in the embodiment wherein the method also comprises a step iv) this column may in particular be a ceramic hydroxyapatite column.

The method of the present invention may also comprise further steps after step b) of the method. Such steps include but are not limited to one or more of the following:

-   -   freeze-drying the composition comprising a concentrated         polypeptide of interest,     -   changing the buffer of the composition comprising a concentrated         polypeptide of interest,     -   sterile filtration of the composition comprising a concentrated         polypeptide of interest     -   evaporation

Different freeze-driers, volume of solutions to be freeze-dried and other parameters may be used in the method of the present invention. An example of a suitable freeze-dryer includes but is not limited to a Lyostar (FTM-systems) freeze-drier as used the examples of the present invention, where the solutions comprising a concentrated polypeptide of interest, i.e. in this case PBGD, were filled in 2 and 6 ml injection glass vials (type 1) and stoppered with rubber stoppers (chlorobutyl). The freeze-drying may be performed by the following three steps;

-   -   i) freezing,     -   ii) primary drying, and     -   iii) secondary drying.

Step i) freezing may in particular be performed by first loading a sample in ambient temperature and cooling it to 0° C. and keeping it at 0° C. for 30 minutes, before lowering the temperature by 1° C. per minute to −40° C. and keeping it at −40° C. for 30 minutes.

Step ii) primary drying may in particular be performed by drawing the vacuum pressure 126 mTorr, raising the temperature by 1° C. per minute to 0° C. and keeping the sample at 0° C. for 360 minutes

Step iii) secondary drying may in particular be performed by drawing the full vacuum simultaneously with raising the temperature by 0.5° C. per minute to +30° C. and keeping the sample at +30° C. for 360 minutes.

After the secondary drying the sample may further be closed under vacuum or closed after filling with nitrogen.

An example of a suitable freeze-drying method includes the one described in the examples of the present invention.

The freeze-drying may in further embodiment comprise an annealing step prior to the primary drying phase. The inventors of the present invention have found that inclusion of an annealing step in the freeze-drying method improves the visual appearance, as visualized by fewer cracks, and/or results in a shorter reconstitution time of the freeze-dried product compared to when the same method of freeze-drying is used but without the annealing step. It is an advantage that the time for reconstitution of a freeze-dried product is reduced, especially if it is to be used as a pharmaceutical which is administered as a solution. An improved visual appearance is usually also regarded as an advantage for most products.

Thus the freeze-drying may comprise the following steps:

-   -   i) freezing     -   ii) annealing     -   iii) primary drying     -   iv) secondary drying.

The freezing, primary drying and secondary drying steps may in particular be performed as described above. The annealing step, i.e. step ii) may in particular be performed by after 30 minutes of freezing, raising the temperature at e.g. a rate of 2° C. per minute to −10° C. or −20° C. and keeping this temperature for 120 or 420 minutes and then lowering the temperature e.g. a rate of 2° C. per minute to −40° C. at which temperature the sample may be kept at 60-90 minutes before start of the step of primary drying.

Changing the buffer of the composition comprising a concentrated polypeptide of interest may in particular be performed by a) diluting, e.g. 5-15 times, the composition comprising a concentrated polypeptide of interest in a buffer or formulation, b) concentrating the diluted composition again and performing the steps a) and b) a sufficient number of times so that amount of the excipients in the buffer or formulation present in the composition before these steps constitute less than e.g. 5 v/v % or less than 1 v/v % of excipients in the buffer or formulation present in said composition after said steps were performed.

In particular the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest obtained from step b) of the present invention may in particular further comprise a step of sterile filtration of said composition and/or a step of freeze-drying the composition.

Sterile filtration is generally performed by filtration of the composition through a filter with a pore-size of 0.22 μm or 0.20 μm. Freeze-drying may in particular be performed as described above.

The present invention also relates to a freeze-dried composition obtained by a method of the present invention.

Subcutaneous Injection

The present invention also relates to the use of a composition comprising in the range of 50-300 mg/ml polypeptide of interest for the manufacture of a medicament for subcutaneous injection into a mammal.

The polypeptide of interest may be any polypeptide of interest according to the present invention, including but not limited to PBGD, aryl sulfatase A, lysosomal alpha-mannosidase and galactocerebrosidase.

The term subcutaneous is often shortened to s.c. and the two terms may be used interchangeably in the context of the present invention.

When injection is performed subcutaneously it is usually not possible to inject more than 1.5 mL due to physiologically restraints.

As the patient usually needs a certain amount of the particular polypeptide of interest there is a correlation between the volume of the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest which needs to be administered to the patient and of the concentration of polypeptide of interest in said composition.

It is therefore an advantage of the present invention that the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest comprises a high concentration of the polypeptide of interest and that this high concentration of the polypeptide of interest can be obtained without, the formation of large amounts of polypeptide aggregates. The use of such concentrated polypeptide of interest compositions makes it possible to inject a smaller volume of said composition and at the same time ensure that the patient receives an adequate amount of the polypeptide of interest; thus making it easier to administer the polypeptide of interest subcutaneously.

The above-mentioned composition comprising a polypeptide of interest may in particular comprise between 75-250 mg/ml, such as between 75-200 mg/ml or between 75-150 mg/ml or between 100-150 mg/ml or between 100-125 mg/ml or between 125-150 mg/ml of polypeptide of interest.

As described above, the volume of composition, comprising a polypeptide of interest, which is necessary to inject into the patient, to ensure that the patient receives an adequate amount of the polypeptide of interest, correlates with the concentration of the polypeptide of interest, in said composition.

Thus the volume of such a composition will generally be adjusted according to the concentration of the polypeptide of interest in the composition. However, the volume may generally be in the range of 0.1-1.5 ml, such as in the range of 0.1-1.5 ml or in the range of 0.5-1.5 ml or in the range of 0.5-1.5 ml or in the range of 0.75-1.5 ml or in the range of 0.75-1.5 ml or in the range of 1-1.5 ml or in the range of 1-1.5 ml.

The amount of polypeptide of interest which it is relevant to administer to a patient generally depends on the weight of the individual and the particular polypeptide of interest.

In one embodiment the present invention relates to a method of treating a mammal for Acute Intermittent Porphyria comprising subcutaneous injection of a composition of 50-300 mg/ml PBGD.

Administration of PBGD may in particular be useful for the treatment of Acute Intermittent Porphyria. However, It is contemplated that administration of PBGD also may be useful for the treatment of other porphyrias, such as Hereditary coproporphyria or Variegata porphyria. Porphyria is a term used to collectively describe a number of diseases caused by different deficiencies in the heme biosynthetic pathway. Hence it is contemplated that administration of PBGD, e.g. in combination with other therapeutics, to a patient suffering from any type of porphyria may help to increase the overall turnover of the different Intermediates in the pathway. For example Meissner P N et al., 1986, European Journal of Clinical investigation, vol. 16, 257-261; Hift R J et al., 1997, S. Afr. Med. J., vol. 87, 718-27 and Meissner P et al., 1993, J. Clin. Invest., vol. 91, 1436-44 describe accumulation of ALA and PBG in Hereditary coproporhyria and Variegata porphyria. In these diseases, the accumulation of ALA and PBG results from enzymatic defects that are located four and five steps downstream form the conversion of ALA to PBG, respectively. In the two most recent papers it is described how the porphyrinogen which accumulates in patients with Variegata porphyria is capable of inhibiting PBG-deaminase.

In a further embodiment the present invention relates to a method of treating a mammal for metachromatic leukodystrophy comprising subcutaneous injection of a composition of 50-300 mg/ml aryl sulfatase A.

Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is caused by an autosomal recessive genetic defect in the lysosomal enzyme Arylsulfatase A (ASA), resulting in a progressive breakdown of membranes of the myelin sheath (demyelination) and accumulation of galactosyl sulphatide (cerebroside sulphate) in the white matter of both the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system. In histologic preparations, galactosyl sulphatide forms spherical granular masses that stain metachromatically. Galactosyl sulphatide also accumulates within the kidney, gallbladder, and certain other visceral organs and is excreted in excessive amounts in the urine.

Galactosyl sulphatide is normally metabolized by the hydrolysis of 3-O-sulphate linkage to form galactocerebroside through the combined action of the lysosomal enzyme arylsulfatase A (EC 3.1.6.8) (Austin et al. Biochem J. 1964, 93, 15 C-17 C) and a sphingolipid activator protein called saposin B. A profound deficiency of arylsulfatase A occurs in all tissues from patients with the late infantile, juvenile, and adult forms of MLD (see below). In the following, the arylsulfatase A protein will be termed “ASA”. A profound deficiency of ASA occurs in all tissues from patients with MLD.

In yet another embodiment the present invention relates to a method of treating a mammal for the lysosomal storage disorder alpha-mannosidosis comprising subcutaneous injection of a composition of 50-300 mg/ml lysosomal alpha-mannosidase.

Alpha-mannosidosis is a recessive, autosomal disease that occurs worldwide with a frequency of between 1/1,000,000 and 1/500,000. Mannosidosis is found in all ethnic groups in Europe, America, Africa and also Asia. It is detected in all countries with a good diagnostic service for lysosomal storage disorders, at a similar frequency. They are born apparently healthy; however the symptoms of the diseases are progressive. Alpha-mannosidosis displays clinical heterogeneity, ranging from very serious to very mild forms. Typical clinical symptoms are: mental retardation, skeletal changes, impaired-immune system resulting in recurrent infections, hearing impairment and often the disease is associated with a typical facial characteristics such as a coarse face, a prominent forehead, a flattened nasal bridge, a small nose, and a broad mouth. In the most severe cases (mannosidosis type I) the children suffer from hepatosplenomegaly, and they die during the first years of life. Possibly this early death is caused by severe infections due to the immunodeficiency caused by the disease. In milder cases (mannosidosis type 2) the patients usually reach adult age. The skeletal weaknesses of the patients result in the needs of wheeling chairs at age 20 to 40. The disease causes a diffuse dysfunction of the brain often resulting in weak mental performances that excludes anything but the most basic skills of simple reading and writing. These problems associated with hearing inabilities and other clinical manifestations preclude the patient from an independent life, the consequence being that lifelong caretaking is needed.

In yet another embodiment the present invention relates to a method of treating a mammal for Krabbe disease comprising subcutaneous injection of a composition of 50-300 mg/ml galactosylcerebrosidase.

In humans a deficiency in the GALC enzyme results in an autosomal inherited genetic Lysosomal Storage disease known as Krabbe disease or Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy. The enzyme is generally expressed in the testis, kidneys, placenta, liver and brain of human beings and a deficiency in the GALC enzyme generally results in a disorder in the myelin metabolism and in the central and peripheral nervous systems (the CHS and PNS, respectively).

Krabbe disease has been observed in humans of any age, nationality and sex.

It should be noted that embodiments and features described in the context of one of the aspects of the present invention also apply to the other aspects of the invention. In particular, all of the embodiments described for the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest, such as the presence of further compounds, buffers and pH also apply to the composition comprising a polypeptide of interest used in the present applications.

When an object according to the present invention or one of its features or characteristics is referred to in singular this also refers to the object or its features or characteristics in plural. As an example, when referring to “a polypeptide” it is to be understood as referring to one or more polypeptides.

Throughout the present specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

All patent and non-patent references cited in the present application, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The invention will now be described in further details in the following non-limiting

Experimental sections.

EXPERIMENTAL

Materials

rhPBGD

The rhPBGD used in the following experiments were obtained according to process 2 in example 1 of WO 03/002731, where process 2 is the process which includes step IV, i.e. the ceramic hydroxyapatite chromatography step.

Formulation Buffer

The recombinant and purified rhPBGD was present in the following aqueous formulation buffer:

3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄

27 mM Glycine

250 mM Mannitol

and a pH of 7.9

The formulation buffer was then sterile-filtered through a 0.22 μm filter.

Methods

Freezer-Drying

The freeze-drying of the purified rhPBGD solutions were performed in a Lyostar (FTM-systems) freeze-drier according to the following schedule:

Freezing phase  0° C.  30 min 760 Torr  0° C. to −40° C. 1° C./min 760 Torr −40° C.  30 min 760 Torr Primary drying −40° C. to 0° C.  1° C./min 169 mTorr  0° C. 240 min 169 mTorr Secondary drying  0° C. to 30° C. 10° C./60 min,  20 mTorr 180 min  30° C. 720 min  20 mTorr

Visual Observation (Clarity and Color)

The liquid was visually studied with respect to color, clarity and precipitates according to the scheme below.

Color: 1: No color; 2: Slightly yellow; 3: Yellow

Clarity: 1: Clear; 2: Slightly turbid; 3: Turbid

Other remarks: Other observations from the operator were in some instances included here (e.g. precipitates, undissolved material etc.)

pH-Measurement

The pH-meter (Metrohm 691 pH Meter) and electrode (combined LL pH electrode) were calibrated with 3 standard reference solutions (Merck) in the range 4.00 to 9.00. The liquid was finally analyzed.

Protein Concentration

Protein concentration in extract, in-process samples, bulk drug substance and final product was determined by a method that utilizes principles of the reduction of Cu2+ to Cu+ by protein in an alkaline medium (the Biuret reaction). The Cu+ ions were then reacted with a reagent containing bicinchoninic acid resulting in a highly sensitive and selective colorimetric detection.

Purity

Recombinant human Porphobilinogen Deaminase (rhPBGD) and rhPBGD variants were separated according to their ability to adsorb and desorb to silica based stationary media depending on the percentage of organic modifier (acetonitrile) in the mobile phase.

rhPBGD Activity

Porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) catalyzes the addition of 4 molecules of porphobilinogen (PBG) to form a linear tetramer, preuroporphyrinogen, which is released from the enzyme and in vivo circularized to uroporphyrinogen III by the action of Uroporphyrinogen III synthase, Preuroporphyrinogen can be chemically oxidized with benzoquinone to form uroporphyrin, which absorbs light at 405 nm.

The analyses were performed on one single vial on each test occasion. For the determination of rhPBGD activity and protein concentration the tests were performed in duplicate and triplicate respectively, for each vial.

Osmolality

One vial of freeze-dried rhPBGD was re-suspended in 1.00 ml MilliQ-water. The vial of frozen aqueous solution of rhPBGD was thawed. The osmometer (Vapro osmometer) was calibrated with 3 standard solutions in the range 100-1000 mOsm/kg (100, 290, 1000 mOsm/kg). The liquid was then analyzed.

Example 1

Concentrating with Centrifugal Filter Devices

Frozen PBGD-bulk solution (7 mg/mL rhPBGD, 3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄, 27 mM glycine, 250 mM Mannitol, pH 7.9) was thawed in a water-bath at 20° C., centrifuged at 3200 g for 10 min and thereafter sterile-filtrated by 0.20 μm-PES filters (Nalgene Polyethersulfone filters). The PBGD-bulk solution was concentrated to 100 mg/ml by running the Centrifugal Filter Devices Centricon Plus-80 (Mw cut-off 30000) and Centricon Plus-15 (Mw cut-off 30000) at 3200 g for several hours. The concentrated solution, i.e. the retentate, was sterile-filtrated by 0.22 μm-filters (Millex G V) and finally a part of this solution was diluted with sterile formulation buffer to get 50 mg/ml. The 5 mg/ml-solution was prepared by directly diluting the recombinant and purified hPBGD with sterile formulation buffer.

The 5 mg/mL, 50 mg/mL and 100 mg/mL rhPBGD were then freeze-dried as described above. Several vials of each the above-mentioned freeze-dried rhPBGD solutions with 5, 50 and 100 mg/mL rhPBGD and of the aqueous 5 mg/mL rhPBGD solution were stored at 40° C.±2° C., 75%±5% relative humidity (RH). The vials were stored protected from light in a well-sealed secondary package (paper box).

At the indicated time points (i.e. time of storage) a vial of each freeze-dried samples were re-suspended in 1.00 mL Millipore water.

Each of the re-suspended vials and the aqueous via of rhPBGd were then visually observed with regard to colour, clarity and precipitates, and the pH, protein concentration, purity and rhPBGD activity were measured as described above.

The results are given in the following tables 1-4;

TABLE 1 Freeze-dried product, 5 mg/mL Specific Time-point Activity Concentration activity Purity Visual (month) (U/ml) (mg/ML) (U/mg) (%) observation 0 93.2 4.3 21.5 99.6 Colour: 1, clarity: 1 0.5 81.0 5.2 15.6 ND Colour: 1, clarity: 1 1 76.6 5.9 13.1 99.9 Colour: 1, clarity: 1 1.5 87.0 5.5 15.9 99.7 Colour: 1, clarity: 1 2 53.3 4.7 11.4 99.6 Colour: 1, clarity: 1 3 50.8 4.8 10.7 99.6 Colour: 1, clarity: 1 6 34.3 5.3 6.5 99.6 Colour: 1 clarity: 1

TABLE 2 freeze-dried product; 50 mg/ml Specific Time-point Activity Concentration activity Purity Visual (month) (U/ml) (mg/ML) (U/mg) (%) observation 0 888 41.4 21.5 99.1 Colour: 2, clarity: 1 0.5 842 50.6 16.6 ND Colour: 2, clarity: 1 1 746 50.6 14.8 100 Colour: 1, clarity: 1 2 640 52.9 12.1 100 Colour: 2. clarity: 1 3 634 49.0 12.9 100 Colour: 2, clarity: 1 6 422 43.0 9.8 100 Colour: 2, clarity: I

TABLE 3 Freeze-dried product; 100 mg/ml Specific Time-point Activity Concentration activity Purity Visual (month) (U/ml) (mg/ML) (U/mg) (%) observation 0 1944 83.7 23.2 99.1 Colour: 3, clarity: 1 1 1470 98.7 14.9 100 Colour: 3, clarity: 1 2 1282 94.8 13.5 100 Colour: 3, clarity: 1 3 1253 82.6 15.2 100 Colour: 3, clarity: 1 6 739 75.5 9.8 100 Colour: 3, clarity: 1

TABLE 4 Aqueous product; 5 mg/ml Specific Time-point Activity Concentration activity Purity Visual (month) (U/ml) (mg/ML) (U/mg) (%) observation 0 95.6 4.0 23.7 99.1 Colour: 1, clarity: 1 0.5 48.1 5.4 8.9 ND Colour: 1, clarity: 1 1 28.6 5.9 4.8 96.1 Colour: 1, clarity: 1 1.5 12.3 5.6 2.2 91.4 Colour: 1, clarity: 1 2 4.5 4.4 1.0 90.7 Colour: 1, clarity: 1 3 7.1 3.1 2.3 87.3 Colour: 2, clarity: 2 6 4.4 2.1 2.1 58.1 Colour: 2, clarity: 2

Example 2

Concentrating a rhPBGD Composition by Centrifugal Filter Devices

Frozen PBGD-butk solution (7 mg/mL rhPBGD, 3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄, 27 mM glycine, 250 mM Mannitol, pH 7.9) was thawed in a water-bath at 20° C., centrifuged at 3200 g for 10 min and thereafter sterile-filtrated by 0.20 μm-PES filters (Nalgene Polyethersulfone filters), The PB GD-bulk solution was concentrated to 100 mg/ml by running the Centrifugal Filter Devices Centricon Plus-80 (Mw cut-off 30000) and Centricon Plus-15 (Mw cut-off 30000) at 3200 g for several hours. The concentrated solution, i.e. the retentate, was sterile-filtered by 0.22 μm-filters (Millex GV) and diluted with sterile filtered formulation buffer (see above) to get solutions of lower concentrations. A fraction in volume of each concentration was freeze-dried as described above.

The different concentrations of freeze-dried rhPBGD and aqueous solution of rhPBGD were stored at 5° C.±3° C. or at −20° C.±5° C. (ambient relative humidity (RH)). All vials were stored protected from light in a well-sealed secondary package (paper box).

At the indicated time points (i.e. time of storage) a vial of each freeze-dried samples were resuspended in 1.00 mL Millipore water and then tested together with the aqueous solution of rhPBGD by visually observing the colour, clarity and precipitates, and by measuring pH, protein concentration, purity, osmolality and rhPBGD activity.

The results are given in the following tables 5-19:

TABLE 5 Aqueous product; 11 mg/ml; Storage temp.: +5° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) PH kg) Aggregates 0 10.9 255.0 23.4 100.0 7.80 290 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None/few 1 9.5 216.8 22.8 100.0 7.81 305 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None/few 2 10.9 230.2 21.1 98.0 7.80 300 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None/few 3 11.2 226.6 20.2 100.0 7.76 290 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear Few 6 14.7 271.1 18.4 100.0 7.77 300 Colour:2 Clarity: 1 Clear Several

TABLE 6 Aqueous product: 11 mg/ml; Storage temp: −20° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) PH kg) Aggregates 0 10.4 236.1 22.6 100 7.80 290 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 1 11.7 270.3 23.1 100 7.81 302 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 2 ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 3 12.4 247.7 20.0 100 7.77 288 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 6 13.4 291.5 21.8 100 7.77 301 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None

TABLE 7 Freeze-dried product, 11 mg/ml; Storage temp.: +5° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3; Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3; point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution; (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) pH kg) Aggregates 0 10.9 230.0 21.2 100.0 7.80 290 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 1 ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 2 ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 3 13.3 269.3 20.2 100.0 7.74 282 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 6 14.7 237.9 16.2 100.0 7.76 290 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None

TABLE 8 Aqueous product, 17 mg/ml; Storage temp.: +5° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) pH kg) Aggregates 0 18.0 471.0 26.1 100.0 7.80 298 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None/few 1 17.5 360.4 20.6 100.0 7.81 311 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None/few 2 18.3 397.0 21.7 100.0 7.83 302 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None/few 3 16.6 376.5 22.7 100.0 7.77 294 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear Few 6 16.0 257.3 16.1 100.0 7.76 305 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear Several

TABLE 9 Aqueous product, 17 mg/ml; Storage temp.: −20° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) PH kg) Aggregates 0 17.9 411.6 23.0 100.0 7.80 298 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 1 17.4 439.5 25.3 100.0 7.80 310 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 2 ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 3 16.4 389.4 23.7 100.0 7.77 292 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 6 18.0 373.8 20.8 100.0 7.76 305 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None

TABLE 10 Freeze-dried product, 17 mg/ml; Storage temp.: 5° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) PH kg) Aggregates 0 16.9 380.1 22.5 100.0 7.80 298 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 1 ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 2 ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 3 15.6 391.9 25.1 100.0 7.76 285 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 6 16.6 341.3 20.6 100.0 7.75 297 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None

TABLE 11 Aqueous product; 36 mg/ml; Storage temp.: +5° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) pH kg) Aggregates 0 36.0 844.4 23.4 100.0 7.81 305 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None/few 1 35.5 778.1 21.9 100.0 7.82 314 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None/few 2 35.4 798.5 22.6 100.0 7.81 310 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None/few 3 28.9 687.9 23.8 100.0 7.77 303 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear Few 6 37.2 537.3 14.4 100.0 7.77 312 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear Several

TABLE 12 Aqueous product, 36 mg/ml; Storage temp.: −20° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point. (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) pH kg) Aggregates 0 34.0 853.4 25.1 100.0 7.81 305 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 1 38.0 853.6 22.5 100.0 7.83 321 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 2 ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 3 31.6 776.3 24.6 100.0 7.76 299 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 6 30.6 543.8 17.8 100.0 7.75 311 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None

TABLE 13 Freeze-dried product, 36 mg/ml; Storage temp.: 5° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) pH kg) Aggregates 0 29.5 657.0 22.3 100.0 7.81 305 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 1 ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 2 ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 3 28.7 747.6 26.0 100.0 7.75 290 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None 6 29.8 579.3 19.4 100.0 7.76 300 Colour: 2 Clarity: 1 Clear None

TABLE 14 Aqueous product, 50 mg/ml; Storage temp.: 5° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) pH kg) Aggregates 0 46.2 780.9 16.9 96.3 7.59 317 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 1 47.9 915 19.1 90 7.58 305 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 2 47.2 898.3 19.0 100 7.60 318 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 3 60.8 1102.6 18.1 100 7.72 314 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Clear None 6 62.5 902.8 14.4 100 7.60 331 Colour: 3 Clarity: 2 Clear None 9 41.7 618.5 14.8 100 7.60 336 Colour: 3 Clarity: 2 Clear None 12 50.2 540.8 10.8 97.5 7.60 329 Colour: 3 Clarity: 2 Clear None

TABLE 15 Aqueous product, 50 mg/ml; Storage temp.: −20° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) PH kg) Aggregates 0 46.2 780.9 16.9 96.3 7.59 317 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 1 47.2 899.1 19.0 93.7 7.58 313 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 2 53 1222.7 23.1 100.0 7.60 315 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 3 61.2 1336.2 21.8 100.0 7.75 320 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 6 52.2 1001.3 19.2 100.0 7.60 321 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 12 50.4 887.9 17.6 100.0 7.60 320 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None

TABLE 16 Freeze-dried product, 50 mg/ml; Storage temp.: 5° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Cake/solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) pH kg) Aggregates 0 42.7 759.4 17.8 100.0 7.58 292 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None 1 42.6 840.4 19.7 63.1 7.58 293 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None 2 42.1 937.0 22.3 100.0 7.60 292 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None 3 47.4 1014.7 21.4 100.0 7.75 291 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None 6 49.0 876.5 17.9 100.0 7.60 304 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None 12 51.3 945.0 18.4 100.0 7.60 308 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None

TABLE 17 Aqueous product, 100 mg/ml; Storage temp.: 5° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) PH kg) Aggregates 0 81.8 1705.7 20.9 99.9 7.60 350 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 1 85.9 1942.4 22.6 96.9 7.55 352 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 2 95.7 1690.8 17.7 96.9 7.65 357 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 3 104.3 1671.2 16.0 100.0 7.65 350 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 6 96.0 1642.6 17.1 100.0 7.62 360 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 9 102.8 1270.8 12.4 100.0 7.63 352 Colour: 3 Clarity: 2 Slightly opalescent None 11 86.2 1140.2 13.2 100.0 7.60 353 Colour: 3 Clarity: 2 Slightly opalescent None 12 113.9 1550.6 13.6 100.0 7.58 350 Colour: 3 Clarity: 2 Slightly opalescent None 15 114.7 1160.6 10.1 98.3 7.61 350 Colour: 3 Clarity: 2 Slightly opalescent None 18 86.2 907.4 10.5 100.0 7.67 340 Colour: 3 Clarity: 2 Slightly opalescent None

TABLE 18 Aqueous product, 100 mg/ml; Storage temp.: −20° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc. Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (mOsm/ Solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) pH kg) Aggregates 0 81.8 1705.7 20.9 99.9 7.60 316 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 1 89.3 2108.8 23.6 100.0 7.56 350 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 2 112.0 2066.5 18.5 100.0 7.65 353 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 3 100.2 2172.4 21.7 96.7 7.65 352 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Clear None 6 87.5 2672.3 30.6 100.0 7.62 352 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Clear None 9 97.1 2040.3 21.0 100.0 7.62 353 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Clear None 11 104.6 2234.0 21.4 100.0 7.60 353 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Clear None 12 94.5 1608.8 17.0 100.0 7.57 350 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 15 118.0 2015.9 17.1 100.0 7.62 351 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None 18 90.6 1736.4 19.2 100.0 7.69 338 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Slightly opalescent None

TABLE 19 Freeze-dried product, 100 mg/ml; Storage temp.: 5° C. Spe- Visual Pro- cific observation tein activ- Osmo- Colour 1-3 Time- conc Activ- ity Puri- lality Clarity 1-3 point (mg/ ity (U/ ty (rnOsm/ Cake/solution (month) ml) (U/ml) mg) (%) pH kg) Aggregates 0 76.0 1638.3 21.5 100.0 7.60 316 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: Yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None 1 71.6 1747.6 24.4 100.0 7.55 318 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: Yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None 2 81.6 1769.9 21.7 100.0 7.63 313 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: Yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None 3 84.1 1616.6 19.2  98.2 7.65 320 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: Yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None 6 96.7 2197.6 22.7 100.0 7.60 324 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: Yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None 9 ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 12 96.0 1978.4 20.6 100.0 7.57 322 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: Yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None 15 ND ND ND ND ND ND ND 18 80.6 1602.6 19.9 100.0 7.75 310 Colour: 3 Clarity: 1 Cake: Yellow, some cracks Solution: Clear None

Example 3

Concentrating a rhPBGD Composition by Tangential Flow Filtration (TFF)

The bulk solution of rhPBGD was then thawed for a minimum of three days at 5° C. and in darkness.

The thawed solution was then centrifuged with 200 ml conical centrifuge tubes for approximately 10 minutes at 2200 g.

The solution was then filtered through a series of filters with the following pore-sizes: 5.0 μm; 0.65 μm; 0.45 μm and 0.20 μm before it was concentrated by tangential flow filtration (TFF).

The concentration by TFF was performed with a Millipore Labscale TFF System and Millipore Pellicon® XL Filter with a pump inlet pressure of approximately 20-25 psi and a pressure over the Pellicon® XL Filter of approximately 4-6 psi. The rhPBGD was protected from light during the procedure by covering the sample container of the TFF System by sheets of aluminum foil.

The concentrated rhPBGD solution obtained from the TFF procedure was then buffer-changed against a formulation buffer containing 3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄×2H₂O, 27 mM glycin and 220 mM Mannitol prepared in sterile water. This was performed by continuously adding said buffer to the TFF-system and pressing it across the membrane until said buffer has replaced the previous buffer.

The concentrated and buffer-changed rhPBGD solution was then sterile filtered by passing it through a filter with a pore-size of 0.22 μm. This sterile filtration was performed twice with a new filter each time.

The sterile concentrated rhPBGD solution was then placed in vials before it was freeze-dried as described in the method section.

Example 4

The effect of different modes of freeze-drying and/or the amount of excipients on the reconstitution time

PBGD was concentrated as described in example 3 and after the exchange of the buffer was the concentration of PBGD determined.

The concentrated PBGD solution was then freeze-dried in a Lyostar (FTM-systems) freeze-dryer. The solutions were filled in 2 and 6 ml injection glass vials (type 1) and stoppered with rubber stoppers (chlorobutyl).

Original Freeze-Drying Cycle:

The samples were loaded in ambient temperature and the shelves were cooled down to 0° C. for 30 minutes. The temperature were lowered to −40° C. (1° C. per minute) and held there for 30 minutes and then the vacuum pressure was drawn to 126 mTorr and the primary drying began by raising the temperature to 0° C. (1° C. per minute). After 360 minutes of primary drying the temperature was raised to +30° C. (0.5° C. per minute) and full vacuum was drawn simultaneously (start of secondary drying). The temperature was held at +30° C. for 360 minutes and the vials were then stoppered under vacuum.

Freeze-Drying with Inclusion of an Annealing Step:

After 30 minutes at −40° C. the temperature was raised with a rate of 2° C. per minute to −10° C. or −20° C. at which temperature they were kept for 120 or 420 minutes before the temperature was lowered again with 2° C. per minute to −40° C. were the samples were kept for 60-90 minutes before start of primary drying.

The results are shown in Table 20 where the short terms used with regard to the excipients and the freeze-drying cycle mean the following:

1× amount of excipients refers to that the PBGD solution comprises 3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄×2H₂O, 27 mM glycin and 220 mM Mannitol prepared in sterile water.

1.5× amount excipients refers to that the PBGD solution comprises 5.51 mM Na₂HPO₄×2H₂O, 40.5 mM glycin and 375 mM Mannitol prepared in sterile water, i.e. 1.5× of each of the components present in the 1× buffer.

2× excipients refers to that the PBGD solution comprises 7.34 mM Na₂HPO₄×2H₂O, 54 mM glycin and 500 mM Mannitol prepared in sterile water, i.e. 2× of each of the components present in the 1× buffer.

The original freeze-drying cycle is as described above.

The annealing freeze-drying cycle is as described above where the annealing step comprises raising the temperature to −10° C. at keeping the sample at this temperature for 120 minutes before lowering it to −40° C. again.

The extended annealing freeze-drying cycle, is as described above where the annealing step comprises raising the temperature to −20° C. at keeping the sample at this temperature for 420 minutes before lowering it to −40° C. again.

TABLE 20 Reconstitution time for different Protein free-drying cycles Amount of concentration Extended excipients (mg/ml) Original Annealing annealing 1x 198 600 550 480 1x 175 540 500 450 1x 150 450 480 180 1x 125 330 100 10 1x 100 40 10 10 1x 80 25 10 10 1.5x 200 480 40 60 1.5x 175 220 10 10 1.5x 150 60 10 10 1.5x 125 15 10 10 1.5x 100 10 10 10 2x 200 120 20 2x 175 40 20 2x 150 20 10 2x 100 10 10

Example 5

The Effect of Different Modes of Freeze-Drying and/or the Amount of Excipients on the Appearance of the Freeze-Dried Product

Concentrated and freeze-dried solutions of PBGD were prepared as described in example 4 and references to the amount of excipients and the type of freeze-drying cycle has the same meaning as in example 4.

The following results were obtained by visual inspection of the freeze-dried products:

A: Comparison of three products prepared from solutions comprising respectively, 4.6 mg/ml 66.6 mg/ml and 109.4 mg/ml rhPBGD showed that the number of cracks in the freeze-dried product increased as concentration of rhPBGD increased.

B: Comparison of two products, prepared from a solution comprising 150 mg/ml rhPBGD, and comprising 1× and 1.5× amount of excipients showed that the number of cracks in the freeze-dried product was lower for the product which comprised 1.5× amount of excipients than the product comprising 1× amount of excipients.

C: Comparison of two freeze-dried products prepared from a 150 mg/ml rhPBGD solution, comprising 1× and 2× amount of excipients showed that the number of cracks in the freeze-dried product with 2× amount of excipients was lower than the product comprising the 1× amount of excipients.

D: Comparison of three freeze-dried products prepared from a 150 mg/ml rhPBGD solution by using the original, the annealing and the extended annealing freeze-drying cycle showed that the number of cracks in the freeze-dried product was lower in the product which was prepared according to the annealing freeze-drying cycle than in the product prepared according to the original freeze-drying cycle. Furthermore, the number of cracks in the product prepared according to the extended annealing freeze-drying cycle was lower than in the product prepared according to the annealing freeze-drying cycle.

E: Three freeze-dried products were prepared from a 150, 175 and 200 mg/ml, respectively, rhPBGD solution. The freeze-dried products each comprised 1.5× amount of excipients and they were freeze-dried with the annealing cycle. None of the freeze-dried products comprised any cracks.

F: Two freeze-dried rhPBGD products were prepared from a 150 mg/ml rhPBGD solution. One of them comprised 1× amount of excipients and was prepared according to the original freeze-drying cycle, while the other comprised 1.5× amount of excipients and was prepared according to the extended annealing free-drying cycle. The product comprising 1.5× amount of excipients and prepared according to the extended annealing freeze-drying cycle comprised fewer cracks than the product comprising 1× amount of excipients and prepared according to the original freeze-drying cycle.

G: Two freeze-dried rhPBGD products were prepared from a 150 mg/ml rhPBGD solution. One of them comprised 1× amount of excipients and was prepared according to the original freeze-drying cycle, while the other comprised 0.1% Tween 80 in combination with the 1× amount of excipients and was prepared according to the extended annealing freeze-drying cycle. The product comprising the 0.1% Tween 80 in combination with the 1× amount of excipients and which was prepared according to the extended annealing freeze-drying cycle comprised fewer cracks than the product which comprised 1× amount of excipients and which was prepared according to the original freeze-drying cycle.

Example 6

The effect of recovery volume, the amount of excipients and the mode of freeze-drying on the stability of freeze-dried rhPBGD

Concentrated rhPBGD solutions freeze-dried samples were prepared as described in example 4.

The “bulk solution” is a concentrated solution of PBGD before freeze-drying.

Table 21 shows the results of rhPBGD solutions having the following characteristics with regard to the concentration of rhPBGD, amount of excipients (were the same definitions as in example 4 are used), the mode of freeze-drying (were the same definitions as in example 4 are used) and the ratio of the filling volume (fill. Vol which is the volume of the composition before it is freeze-dried) versus the recovery volume (Rec. vol which is the volume in which the freeze-dried product is resuspended):

Solution 1:

-   -   Approximately 5 mg/ml rhPBGD     -   1× amount of excipient     -   Original freeze-drying cycle     -   Fill.vol=Rec. vol

Solution 2:

-   -   Approximately 70 mg/ml rhPBGD     -   1× amount of excipient     -   Original freeze-drying cycle     -   Fill.vol=2× Rec. vol

Solution 3:

-   -   Approximately 110 mg/ml rhPBGD     -   1× amount of excipient     -   Original freeze-drying cycle     -   Fill.vol=Rec. vol

Solution 4:

-   -   Approximately 70 mg/ml rhPBGD     -   1× amount of excipient     -   Original freeze-drying cycle     -   Fill.vol=1.5× Rec. vol

Solution 5:

-   -   Approximately 90 mg/ml rhPBGD     -   ⅔× amount of excipient     -   Original freeze-drying cycle     -   Fill.vol=1.5× Rec. vol

Solution 6:

-   -   Approximately 60 mg/ml rhPBGD     -   ½× amount of excipient     -   Original freeze-drying cycle     -   Fill.vol=2× Rec. vol

Solution 7:

-   -   Approximately 110 mg/ml rhPBGD     -   1× amount of excipient     -   Annealing freeze-drying cycle     -   Fill.vol=Rec. vol

Solution 8:

-   -   Approximately 60 mg/ml rhPBGD     -   1× amount of exciplent     -   Annealing freeze-drying cycle     -   Fill.vol=2× Rec. vol

Solution 9:

-   -   Approximately 150 mg/ml rhPBGD     -   1× amount of excipient     -   Annealing freeze-drying cycle     -   Fill.vol=Rec. vol

Solution 10:

-   -   Approximately 150 mg/ml rhPBGD     -   1× amount of excipient     -   Original freeze-drying cycle     -   Fill.vol=Rec. vol

Although not shown in Table 21 the purity was also tested for each time point as was found to 100% in all cases.

For solution 2 at the week 4 and 9 time point and for solution 4 the week 9 time point a wrong recovery volume was used.

TABLE 21 Measuring Protein Specific point Fill. Vol Rec. Vol Osmolality concentration Activity activity Solution (week) (ml) (ml) pH (mosmol/kg) (mg/ml) (U/ml) (U/mg) 1 bulk 4.6 78 17.1 0 0.67 0.67 7.54 274 4.8 85 17.8 2 0.67 0.67 7.22 274 4.6 87 19.4 4 0.67 0.67 7.78 279 5.1 75 14.5 7 0.67 0.67 7.87 284 5.1 68 13.3 9 0.67 0.67 7.67 403 7.0 93 13.2 2 bulk 66.6 1129 16.9 0 0.67 0.335 7.64 525 113 1915 16.9 2 0.67 0.335 7.63 459 93.6 1593 17.0 4 0.67 0.67 7.75 264 64.6 1104 17.1 7 0.67 0.335 7.95 451 106.4 2106 19.8 9 0.67 0.67 7.59 247 51.4 859 16.7 3 bulk 109.4 1491 13.6 0 0.67 0.67 7.75 274 99.9 1598 16.0 2 0.67 0.67 7.64 269 91.4 1543 16.9 4 0.67 0.67 7.68 274 101.2 1825 18.0 7 0.67 0.67 7.71 278 103.4 2045 19.8 9 0.67 0.67 7.67 274 88.3 1656 18.8 4 bulk 71.5 1244 17.4 0 0.67 0.45 7.64 448 113.8 1748 15.4 2 0.67 0.45 7.63 411 86.4 1806 20.9 4 0.67 0.45 7.77 362 109.9 1897 17.3 7 0.67 0.45 7.90 379 95.2 686 (7.2) 9 0.67 0.67 7.63 273 59.7 1090 18.3 5 bulk 91.0 1610 17.7 0 0.67 0.45 7.65 296 119.4 2014 16.9 2 0.67 0.45 7.61 285 112.3 2093 18.6 4 0.67 0.45 7.90 292 125.1 2409 19.3 7 0.67 0.45 7.88 297 116.4 1928 16.6 9 0.67 0.45 7.34 278 102.5 1490 14.5 6 bulk 60.7 992 16.3 0 0.67 0.335 7.63 295 112.6 1753 15.6 2 0.67 0.335 7.60 288 86.9 1787 20.6 4 0.67 0.335 7.83 287 116.4 2106 18.1 7 0.67 0.335 8.20 299 109.7 695 (6.3) 9 0.67 0.335 7.44 287 95.2 1636 17.2 7 bulk 116.4 1926 16.5 0 0.67 0.67 7.56 275 101.1 1750 17.3 2 0.67 0.67 7.51 276 93.4 1831 19.6 4 0.67 0.67 7.60 270 101.6 1774 17.5 7 0.67 0.67 7.53 283 102.2 1639 16.0 9 0.67 0.67 7.46 274 89.9 960 10.7 8 bulk 64.5 1119 17.4 0 0.67 0.335 7.52 511 100.7 1718 17.1 2 0.67 0.335 7.51 459 99.3 1900 19.1 4 0.67 0.335 7.70 482 114.5 1913 16.7 9 0.67 0.335 7.29 425 102.3 1650 16.1 9 bulk 165 3587 21.7 0 0.60 0.60 7.71 309 121.4 2819 23.2 4 0.60 0.60 7.74 — 140.3 2014 14.4   7.5 0.60 0.60 7.61 292 135.9 1640 12.1 10 bulk 165 3587 21.7 0 0.60 0.60 7.86 276 142.1 2397 16.9 3 0.40 0.40 8.20 314 141.9 2381 16.8 5 0.60 0.60 7.60 302 131.8 2304 17.5

Example 7

Effect of Different Excipients on the Stability of rhPBGD

rhPBGD was concentrated as described in example 4 and then the buffer was changed as to one of the four buffers described below. The products were then freeze-dried as described in example 4 with an original annealing step included and the stability of the samples were tested as described in example 6.

The effect of the following four formulations on the stability of rhPBGD was tested:

Formulation A (corresponds to solution 9 in example 6): 250 mM mannitol, 27 mM glycine and 3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄.

Formulation B: 250 mM mannitol, 27 mM glycine and 10 mM TRIS-HCL.

Formulation C: 250 mM mannitol, 27 mM glycine, 3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄ and 0.1% Tween 80.

Formulation D: 221 mM mannitol, 29 mM sucrose, 27 mM glycine, 3.67 mM Na₂HPO₄ and 0.1% Tween 80.

The results are shown in Table 22.

TABLE 22 Measuring Protein Specific point Fill. Vol Rec. Vol Osmolality concentration Activity activity Formulation (week) (ml) (ml) pH (mosmol/kg) (mg/ml) (U/ml) (U/mg) A Bulk 7.69 366 165 3587 21.7 0 0.60 0.60 7.71 309 121.4 2819 23.2 4 0.60 0.60 7.74 — 140.3 2014 14.4 7.5 0.60 0.60 7.61 292 135.9 1640 12.1 B Bulk 7.54 320 173 3595 20.8 0 0.60 0.60 7.58 284 148.1 3726 25.2 3 0.60 0.60 7.57 280 165.4 2947 17.8 4 0.60 0.60 7.69 — 167.5 2367 14.1 7.5 0.60 0.60 7.60 283 150.4 2235 14.9 C Bulk 7.40 338 178 3606 20.2 0 0.60 0.60 7.76 290 142.9 2662 18.6 3 0.60 0.60 7.43 285 181.7 2332 12.8 4 0.60 0.60 7.42 — 173.1 1436 8.3 6 0.60 0.60 7.55 274 156.6 1254 7.4 7.5 0.60 0.60 7.34 274 141.5 1252 8.9 D Bulk 7.41 337 175 3869 22.1 0 0.60 0.60 7.80 292 127.5 2355 18.5 3 0.60 0.60 7.35 288 143.9 1988 13.8 4 0.60 0.60 7.26 — 159.3 1644 10.3 6 0.60 0.60 7.30 281 135.7 1236 9.1 7.5 0.60 0.60 7.28 282 125.7 1146 9.1 

1-28. (canceled)
 29. A pharmaceutical composition for treatment of metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) comprising recombinant arylsulfatase A (ASA) at a concentration of at least 25 mg/ml, wherein the amount of ASA present as aggregates constitutes at least few and less than 5 w/w % of the total amount of ASA in the composition.
 30. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 29, wherein the composition comprises ASA at a concentration between 25-500 mg/ml.
 31. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 30, wherein the ASA is at a concentration of at least 30 mg/ml.
 32. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 29, wherein the amount of recombinant ASA present as aggregates constitutes less than 1 w/w % of the total amount of ASA in the composition.
 33. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 29, wherein the recombinant ASA is in an aqueous solution.
 34. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 29, wherein the composition further comprises a detergent.
 35. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 29, wherein the recombinant ASA contains mannose-6-phosphate residues.
 36. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 29, wherein the recombinant ASA comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (i) an amino acid sequence as defined by any one of SEQ ID NOs: 18, 19 and 20; and (ii) an amino acid at least 95% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 18, 19 or
 20. 37. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 29, wherein the recombinant ASA is recombinant human ASA (rhASA).
 38. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 29, wherein the recombinant ASA is produced in mammalian host cells.
 39. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 38, wherein the mammalian host cells are human cells.
 40. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 38, wherein the mammalian host cells are CHO cells.
 41. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 29, wherein the recombinant ASA is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of: (i) a nucleic acid sequence as defined by any of SEQ ID NOs: 16 and 17; and (ii) a nucleic acid sequence at least 95% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 16 and
 17. 